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Microbiota from fecal samples from IBS-D patients, in combination with vitamin D
supplementation added to our 3-D immunocompetent intestinal models will establish a high
fidelity disease model to achieve our long-term goal to understand the relationship between
gut microbiome, vitamin D levels, host gene expression and IBS-D symptoms that could
ultimately be used as a testing platform for treatment and prevention.

The pathophysiology of IBS is not well understood. Preliminary studies support IBS-D
patients with varied microbiome fingerprints, vitamin D levels, and blood serotonin levels
compared to non-IBS patients. The investigators have novel 3-D immunocompetent intestinal
models to establish a new model of high fidelity disease to examine the relationship of
IBS-D patients gut microbiome, with supplemental vitamin D levels, and the relationship of
blood serotonin and vitamin D levels. IBS-D patients and healthy controls will be asked to
provide a fecal sample, a biopsy sample of colonic tissue obtained during a clinically
appropriate flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, and a blood sample. There will be 1-2
office visits. One visit will last 30 minutes, the second visit no longer than 3 hours. This
study is funded by a combined MAYO-Arizona State University seed grant. The samples will be
analyzed at ASU. Our long-term goal is to understand the relationship between gut
microbiome, vitamin D levels, host gene expression, serotonin levels, and IBS-D symptoms
that could ultimately be used as a testing platform for treatment and prevention of this
highly prevalent disorder.